1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic sheet and label paper suited for use in outdoor and frozen food section advertisement posters, billboards, signs, tags, labels and stickers where water repellency and durability are required, manufacturing management cards recording methods of use and warnings, and industrial product namers (labels recording methods of use and warnings).
2. Discussion of the Background
Conventionally, coated paper, water-repellent paper, and the like have been employed as sheet and label paper in outdoor advertisement posters, frozen food section tags, and the like. However, these papers have problems in the form of poor water repellency and durability. Thus, thermoplastic resin films with good water repellency and good durability, particularly polyolefin-based synthetic paper, have been employed in recent years.
Japanese Examined Patent Publication (KOKOKU) Sho Nos. 46-40794 and 49-1782, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (KOKAI) Sho Nos. 56-118437, 57-12642, and 57-56224, for example, may be consulted for specifics regarding these resin films.
However, when printing on such polyolefin synthetic papers in recording modes of color electrophotographic printers such as common paper mode, label mode, OHP mode, and thick-paper mode, the toner transfer rate is low, recording density is not achieved, toner disperses to unwanted areas, and hue reproduction is poorer than that of normal paper and coated paper. Further, when there is not suitable rigidity, running properties become problematic. In particular, when jamming occurs in the toner fixing unit, the surface temperature rises (to from 140 to 200° C.) and the paper fuses to the heater, damaging the machine.
Further, when printing with a color electrophotographic printer on a label which consists of a polyolefin synthetic paper base and a release paper adhered thereto, the surface temperature of the label rises to 140 to 200° C. during toner fixation, and since polyolefin synthetic paper undergoes greater heat shrinkage than the release paper, there is a problem in the form of significant curling after printing. In severe cases, the entire label curls into a cylinder, and it becomes difficult to peel the polyolefin synthetic paper off the release paper. There is also a problem in that paper discharge is poor, precluding continuous printing, and use is difficult.
In light of these problems of prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide electrophotographic recording sheets and label paper suited for use in outdoor and frozen food section advertisement posters, billboards, signs, tags, and manufacturing management cards recording methods of use and warnings with good water repellency and durability. Specifically, the present invention has for its object to provide electrophotographic recording sheets and label paper yielding good recording density when printed with color electrophotographic printers and having good running properties.